January 2009

Welcome to the Village Park Residents Association. Thornaby on Tees

Your residents group for the Village Area.

Membership is free to every household in the Village Area.

The VPRA News Blog

Your VPRA at work reports for January 2009

TS17 Evening Gazette RSS feed now on Local Press Page

Click here for Bin and Recycle Collection Days

26.01.2009 Tristar ASB

Request to display poster from Tristar received tonight and duly posted although there is not much notice of the meeting.

26.01.2009 SBC Highways Dept.

Mail from Bill Trewick to say that the large puddles have been inspected and have been caused by leaves blocking the gullies. They will all be cleaned out within the next 24 hours.

21.01.2009 Traffic Calming “Ponds”

Report mailed to SBC Highways to try and get the flooding sorted out at the Redcar / Thornaby Rd Junction.This was first reported on 15/01/2008 and was supposed to have been sorted back then. It is getting considerably worse every time it rains and takes days to drain away.

20.01.2009 Allotments Reply

E mail received from Barry Hunter at CFYA about the allotments. Work is ongoing this week and being carried out by Community Pay Back (Probation Services) and Barry categorically states that none of the allotments have been allocated yet but they will be offered to the first 20 on the waiting list of over 100. Its now a waiting game to see who gets an offer.

19.01.2009 Allotments

VPRA contacted by a resident about the new allotments on Andrews following weekend work clearing the plot. It was alleged that all the allotments have been leased and not done fairly.

16.01.2009 Cricket in the Park

Following discussions with local Asian families about use of the park, SBC were contacted to see if it would be possible to have cricket strip mown at the rear of the goal for the Summer. A prompt reply was received from Nigel Clark, SBC Horticultural Manager to say it will start being mown in March when they begin mowing the Bowling Green.

15.01.2009 Horses

VPRA reps witnessed 2 horse riders going from Tedder Avenue on to the grass area towards Lockerbie Walk and the Airman. They were witnessed racing in the dark on the grass ripping up the turf again. Thornaby Police were informed along with SBC Care For Your Area.

15.01.2009 Village Park Play Trail

VPRA committee attended an evening meeting with SBC Parks and Countryside reps to discuss the plans for the park. Funding is now in position and contracts and orders are being placed with suppliers. The new tarmac trim trail around the football pitch is now due to start 26/01/2009 and take approximately 6 weeks to complete. The appointed artists have had a good response from the schools and are in the process of choosing the final designs to be incorporated into the trail. The new Muga has been ordered and work will start on stripping out the old tennis courts later this month.

12.01.2008 Grit Bins

Contact from SBC to inform that requested new Grit Bin will be installed on Green Lane at the bottom of the bank.

11.01.2009 St Patrick’s School

Contact from St Patricks Church urging all residents wanting to stop the closure of the school to contact MP Dari Taylor either by e mail or letter to her office 109 Lanehouse Road Thornaby.

You can also contact James Wharton by e mail or write to Suite 29 DTV Business Centre Orde Wingate Way Stockton On Tees TS19 0GD

Contact your local ward councillors and Thornaby Town Council to express your support.

Mandale + Victoria. Village. Stainsby Hill. Thornaby Town Council. Town Clerk, Old Town Hall, Mandale Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 6AW. Tel: 01642 678652 or e mail ,

09.01.2009 Town Centre Jobsfair

Contact from DWP re Jobsfair in Town Centre for the new shopping precinct vacancies.

08.01.2009 Village Green

Following reports and pictures sent to SBC Care For Your Area by VPRA the damaged areas of the Green have now been rolled and put back into a safe condition.

07.01.2008 St.Patricks School

Contacted by horrified residents about the possible planned closure of St Patricks RC Comp. Mails sent to local councillors and the press pledging both individual and group support. If the plans go through then it will mean 500 plus children having to travel to Stockton or Billingham to attend a Catholic School.Surely after all of the problems SBC have had bussing children from Ingleby Barwick out to schools they would use some common sense. Is this another political attempt to wipe another bit of Thornaby off the map? TS17 Site

06.01.2009 Thornaby Green - Horses

Confirmation received today that SBC are looking into complaints we have sent in about the constant misuse of the Green by young horse riders

02.01.2009 Grit Bins

Confirmation received today that SBC will not put a grit bin on Redcar Road as requested. Further requests to be sent to SBC officials.Also request for information of siting of grit bins in Thornaby.

01.01.2009 Damage to Village Green

VPRA reps once again contacted by residents about the damage being done to the Middle and Lower Greens by inconsiderate young horse riders. This has already been actioned and now awaiting action from both council and police.

01.01.2009 Graffiti

VPRA rep approached by a number of residents today about the graffiti on the dog bin and seat on the Upper Green. This will be reported on the 5th January when CFYA return to normal working.